


Star Fleet Academy

by Lionessinthedark



Series: Star Trek into darkness.....a bit different [4]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Khan is not a bad guy after all, Post Star Trek Into Darkness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-30
Updated: 2015-03-30
Packaged: 2018-03-20 09:37:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3645501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lionessinthedark/pseuds/Lionessinthedark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Khan has faced a trial and was in fact sentenced to death, but with delay (as it was normal when a human court condemned another species in a case that could be regarded on as genocide. The accused would be given a chance to prove the verdict wrong and should turn up in the court precisely 3 months after the verdict). Khan turned up, and a lot of other humans – even Kirk and Spock spoke in favour of him – and the verdict was declared null and void. Khan was demoted (from commander) and should earn his stripes again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Star Fleet Academy

Khan looked at entrance at the star fleet academy lying close to the headquarters. Happy that he didn’t manage to destroy everything. He took his duffel bag with his few belongings – and the two precious antique books, he had paid so much for. He had said goodbye to his people – told them to behave...and told them to warn others if someone should find the Plants or frozen embryos from the Plants. He had searched and partly found an explanation that could enlighten the facts about the eugenic wars in the 21st century: he and his people were a version 10....there were signs in the web and else where, that there had been versions 11 and 12. Difficult to find, just as if someone in the past deliberately had erased the information. There were holes in his knowledge – but he had made a report and sent it to the Supreme Admiral. He knew about his people – version 10 – but what if version 11 and 12 had been extremely dangerous and had attacked their creators? That could explain a lot.

He entered the door – he could still not believe that he was allowed in there – and went to the counter:

“Cadet Khan reports for duty”

He was shown his room. And lying on the bed was his uniform – the right size, shoes and boots – the right size. Underwear, Parade uniform – everything: even a toothbrush, razor and other necessities, creams, shampoos, a computer, a Padd. And the bracelet, which should help to find the different places in the huge complex. He smiled – even if he had only been John Harrison for less than two years it felt a bit like home.....and that was in some ways a bit disturbing too. He remembered what Marcus had done to him in London....

He took of his civilian clothes – redressed in the uniform – just the black blouse...but he would work hard to get the golden or the blue tunic back. There was a note on the Padd: "Your measurements were in the database – hope everything is there. Briefing at 1100 in the assembly hall A100. Follow the blue dots. Your “medical” is set to be at 1400 – red dots. Your IQ test at 1600. Purple dots. The rest of the time is free for your own use. Welcome to the Star fleet Academy." Hm: IQ test – that would be fun...but the “medical”......not god!

______________________

He was a bit surprised when he saw, who was going to do his “medical” – it was McCoy - “Bones”: "You are going to be on “my” ship - so I’m doing your “medical” – I suppose it’ll be the big one – the one from London was fake, I presume?"

Khan smiled: "Yes – they would have discovered my alien nature in about 10 seconds. What am I supposed to do?"

McCoy was a bit puzzled – Khan seemed a bit worried – but he disguised it well.

McCoy - used to Spock’s nature - was never the less good at spotting it:"Please undress"

"All of it?" (Was it fear in Khan’s voice?)

McCoy turned around with a sudden understanding: "You have had some ugly experiences in such rooms, haven’t you?"

"Far too many!"

"No..keep your pants on. I’m going to ask you some questions – You are not obliged to answer all of them....."

Khan undressed. Stood almost in position of attention…

"At ease, soldier...."

Khan smiled: ”Old habit..."

McCoy held the hand scanner: The man wasn’t that tall, about 1, 86 – seemed to be taller.....skin: rather pale, very dark brown hair – almost black and eye colour? Hm.. green, blue and brown. Very unusual...like moon-stones. Hardly any body hair. Rather sinewy than muscular. Looked white and Caucasian. 85 kg.

"What about beard – facial hair?"

"I can grow it if I don’t use the hair inhibitor.... "(a cream.....applied once a week it would keep you well “shaved”)

"Do you use it on your body?"

"No I was made like that..."

"I’m sorry – but it is a part of the medical – I have to see you without anything on"

Khan closed his eyes and let his pants down: McCoy noted: "Normally looking genitals. The hairlessness continues there too – only at bit near the root of the penis – black"

He said: “Put them on again”

McCoy walked around Khan asked questions, and he answered – at the end he was asked: "Your back – there are discolorations – scars?! From whiplashes?!"

"Hm...yes. I was punished....."

"Are they old?"

"No the scars from old...hm...punishments...they’ll fade away after a year or so. These are......not.... that .....old..."

McCoy – with a sudden understanding: ”I’ve heard rumors about Admiral Marcus.....”

Khan looked at him: "They were not just rumors....."

"Sit down" – And Khan sat down on the couch.

Bones: "May I ask...how often?"

Khan: "Nothing in the beginning: He was busy finding out about what I could do, but then – about one and a half year later as everything was running: He threatened to thaw others if I didn’t obey. I was imprisoned for 30 days.....I heal well" (and there was a whole story about abuse and actual torture in those 3 words)

Khan continued: "I got away.... I had made a base on Qo’noS. My fear was that he would thaw others, as he had threatened to do ..... so I decided to attack the London section"

Bones:"That’s why you attacked the section and had to flee?"

"Yes"

"Oh my .....why didn’t you tell that in the court?"

Khan: "Would it have changed anything? And I still have a bit of pride left. Should I have told about the torture, the blood, and my begging that he should stop – that they should stop, all of them? About the rapes? The belts? The cuffs? The whips? That I had been bound and gagged, had stuff stuffed up my rectum, so I thought, I would crack!?"

Bones: "Maybe people would have understood your rage against him and section 31 better – why you killed him in such a brute way!"

"I still have my pride!"

"And your story is safe with me – nothing in the protocol – I’m just writing old whiplashes."

"Thank you"

"I thought actually that you would heal without scars?"

"Not if the wounds are deep enough....the muscles underneath are all right now...but my skin is so pale, that there sometimes are discolorations even if I heal well. As for my inner injuries....I nearly bled to death at several occasions, so I suppose there will be scars there too. They’ll be gone after some time."

He was rubbing his left arm: “May I borrow a scalpel? I’ll show you how I heal”

He took the scalpel and carefully - and to McCoy’s disturbance – Khan cut a small wound in his left arm. Poked in the wound – nothing was to be seen on his face – and produced a small metal fragment: “It should be the last fragment of the sender.... Now look!"

For McCoy’s eyes the wound stopped bleeding. It closed – a scab was formed. And graduately within the next 2 minutes the scab was gone and there was just a slight discoloration left.

“Don’t you feel pain?!”

“Of course I do! The children who are born with no ability to feel pain, they don’t live to adulthood. I can assure you that I’m fully capable of feeling pain...pain protects you. It’s a great disadvantage during torture though.....But I’m trained to ignore it to some extend”

The “medical” continued – a full body scan in the big scanner: "Normally I would strap you to the couch.....but I’ll hesitate to do it to you...Can you lie perfectly still for about 2 minutes?"

"I can"

Bones took some tissue samples too – it wasn’t easy. Khan’s skin was very solid – in fact he had to do it himself. And McCoy made a DNA chart. Khan dressed again. McCoy was happy about that. Khan’s naked body was disturbingly attractive......and McCoy had been married and all and had only had one homosexual experience, when he was 16 years old...

Khan: "May I see?" They looked at the scan and at the DNA together.

Khan: "See – 52 chromosomes"

"Do you know where from?"

"No – I think human mostly......do you have a chart from a human, which is free to watch?"

"I have my own"

And they compared.

Khan: "Hmm...”McCoy”...is your family from Europe?"

“My father’s side....only 2 generations back”

“Do you in your database have the Neanderthal genome?"

"The what...oh never mind..."

"May I?" Khan sat by the computer – his fingers danced over the screen. "Now look!" he said.

The chart with McCoy’s DNA was now partly red – about 5 %

"See – Western Europe - traces of Neanderthals"

Khan continued: "Now mine"

Only 2% did light up "Let’s try.....one of Asian origin: I’ll find someone on the net. Look – not a trace of Neanderthal – but of Denisovian."

"You can read the whole evolution in the genes – but I can’t find mine......they must be of Earthly origin – the only aliens we had met in my time, was the “Buzzers” – so I don’t know. Haven’t found out yet."

__________________________

They looked at his body scan: There were internal scars to be seen. McCoy looked at Khan but didn’t say anything.

Khan explained: “I think if you make a scan in about 6 months from now, they would be gone....See – in my pelvis and femur...these shadows – that is my factory...where the nano-robots are made – and of course the red and the white blood cells – and my intestines – they are different from those of a human...The rest is rather similar....not on a microscopic scale but else..”

McCoy thought he had seen something familiar in another species – but having examined more than 100 different alien species over the years, he couldn’t remember.

He asked: "May I ask you something personal? Your name?"

"What about that?"

“Khan Noonien Singh”...the first part “Khan”...it is actually a title, right? Like “Emperor” or “King”?

"Yes?"

"A mockery?"

Khan smiled a bit: "Yeah....But I made the mockery my name. I thought of myself as “Khan” instead of “Noonien”. I was Noonien at the island when we were alone and abandoned. I was Noonien later as I was punished to obey...and then, when they erased my memories...not totally but close and made me a into warrior, “Noonien” died and “Khan” lived.."

The medical was over—Khan left...

The medical had not been that awful..McCoy had been very....understanding. 

Khan went back to his room, sat down by the small table and continued his work on one of the antique books. He had got some paper and carefully he wrote the translation down – word by word and with an old fashioned looking pen.

The bracelet beeped..

He went to his IQ test: a room full of other cadets. More than 50 small tables. A comp on each. They started – it was like a game to him: within 10 minutes he had finished.

One of the attendants went over to him: “Is your comp broken?"

"No---I’ve finished!"

"In 10 minutes?! It must be broken!"

"No it is not. I am Khan....my IQ is about 280 – just the same as one of the smartest men on Earth: William Sidis - try to look him up"

He was allowed to leave – his IQ went of the scale.

__________________________

He was older (!) than the most of the cadets in his group and being who he was, with his natural authority and charisma, he soon became their unofficial leader. Not that he wanted to be or had an urge....it was just so. He stood out in every aspect of their education and it was soon obvious that he was so well educated, that he even outsmarted the teachers. He used to smile and said that he had learned it in London. He took all the exams and tests in flying colours within the first 14 days and it soon became clear that he hadn’t cheated in London. It was then accepted that he to some degree educated the other cadets. He didn’t want to stick more out as he did – so he wanted to stay in his group.

That he was an augment became a problem the first time, they should have martial art training. In week 3. He told the teacher – commander Urthah - that it wouldn’t be smart to let him train with the others – he might harm them..

He was told to shut up. He tried again to tell that being an augment and have been trained since he was 2 years old, he couldn’t totally guarantee that his instincts would not take over and that he would harm people.

“Are you disobedient?” he was asked

"By no means no, Sir..but"

"Then fight!"

He didn’t touch a finger – just let the others kick and slap at him. They couldn’t even throw him to the ground...

The instructor came over to him: "Look at you....I have heard about the mighty Khan....ha...look at you. Hardly any muscles.....And you should be strong? It is an order...fight back! Obey or I will have you for a court! IT.IS.AN.ORDER!!!"

Khan: "Yes sir. Do you have any harnesses? You know – restrictions – so that I only can fight with one arm?"

He got the harness on – not able to move the right arm...he knelt and told the instructor to find his finest 4 men.

Closed his eyes.

They attacked him at the same time...but it was like a ballet – a dance – he was so incredible fast- and within less than 8 seconds they were all 5 lying on the floor. Moaning.

"I’m so sorry...I tried to hold back.."

The Instructor yelled: "Call for security..I’ll have you expelled for this!!"

Khan’s harness was removed and he sat down on the floor and waited:

One of the cadets said: "Maybe you shouldn’t have obeyed that order..."

Khan: "An order is an order. You can’t sit down and discuss when there is a war going on or you are out in space and things happens fast. That is why we have superiors – they are educated to know better. I ought not to even have discussed with commander Urthah – he is my superior, and as such he must be obeyed immediately"

"Can there be a reason not to obey?" one of the other cadets asked

"If your superior clearly had gone mad as if he orders you to do something against all your beliefs: killing innocent civilians, torture people...like that"

Khan gave them a lecture about orders and was so occupied that he didn’t even hear the security.

A hand on his shoulder: "That was the finest lecture about the topic “orders” I have ever heard."

He rose and said, "I’m so sorry."

\- "He was provoked" -

\- "He just obeyed" -

\- "He tried not to harm them"

Were the sentences from the others.

Khan wasn’t expelled...the others – even the instructor’s own men - told that he had obeyed a direct order. That he had refused as long as possible and that he even had had a harness on had knelt and had his eyes closed. The commander Urthah was dismissed – this was just the last straw.

But now they lacked an instructor. Khan was asked and reluctantly accepted (“I don’t want to stick out” he said)

The cadets asked if they could be just as good?

He smiled: "First you alter your genes: become an augment like me – or a Klingon.....or a Romulan.... or a Vulcan.

Then you start practising at an age of two.

Besides from that: you practice and practice and practice....train flexibility and strength every free moment – no alcohol, no sugar...."

It worked...there had never been such a well trained team before.

_______________________________

 

Khan was discussed in the board:

  * He is so dammed correct and polite – almost inhuman (and the others laughed)..I mean...
  * Always so neat...well shaven – not a spot on his uniform.
  * He is incredibly nice to the young ones
  * Treats every one neatly...even the aliens – and remember he is not used to aliens.....
  * He apologies if he unintended have offended their culture – and he only does it once – then he remembers and even studies in the night, so he won’t do it again.
  * He studies hard – in the night even – to earn his stripes again.
  * He is a role model for the others
  * His authority is natural – you can feel that he is leader-material (don’t you know?) Know what?
  * He only lacks a few tests before he is a lieutenant – should we promote him before they set off?
  * But he is hiding something – I can feel that..
  * And actually – it is a problem that he is so good looking.....that might cause problems...he doesn’t encourage anyone – on the contrary.....but he turns nearly everyone’s head.



McCoy was called in and could tell that Khan in fact did hide something – but nothing that could threat anyone. It was very personal...and he would break his service-confidentiality, if he said more. They could ask Khan himself if they meant they ought to violate his personal integrity!

Khan was called in....he asked if he was forced – ordered to tell it –  and he was (there had been an voting 10 against 11)

He turned his back....took of his blouse.

With a very low voice he told what Adm. Marcus and some of his men had done to him – repeatedly during his 30 days captivity before he was able to escape.

“I had to obey...Marcus threatened to thaw the youngest one among my crew...They are only 15 years old!”

He turned around: ”Forcing me to tell about my humiliations, was not just as cruel, but it came close!”

Silence.....

“I’ll go and pack my things”

“Why?”

“Why?! It would be unbearable for me to know that you know every time you see me – when I see you! I was raped....repeatedly!”

“You have done nothing wrong....and we’ll respect you even more for not drawing the card of pity in the court. We’ll go through a memory eraser, if you insist – it was very rude of us to insist on you telling us”

“No—it is OK – I’ll be gone anyway soon – and for 5 years”

____________________________

 

One of the other incidents that showed his leader-abilities was as two of the biggest cadets were fighting.

He told them: “we never fight amongst our own. Never! There are so many dangers out there...and your lives can depend on the person next to you. Don’t fight – don’t insult – and if anyone should insult you, the tolerate it, forgive it. You are a team – a crew. Behave according to that”

They insulted him: "Shut up, you freak.....You are weak. They should have killed you, ”pretty boy”"

And a lot more like that. He didn’t get angry...he just took them and lifted them up in the air – one in each hand: Smiled nicely: “Don’t ever mistake a sleeping tiger for being a cat...I’ll keep an eye on you.....maybe you should attend my classes, so I could make sure that you learned”...his voice – soft like silken and hard as steel.

_______________________

A few days later James Kirk turned up in Khans room.

"May I enter?"

"Permitted, sir"

"Commander Spock has spoken with you; I thought I would do the same. I think I owe you some explanation. I really didn’t know that you weren’t treated decently in the prison."

"It’s ok..I’m fine now...was it you who took care of my things here, sir?"

"Yes"

"Thank you, sir"

"I hear that you are doing fine......so is it a lieutenant that I should welcome on board in about 30 days?"

"Yes....but only if it is OK with you, sir?"

"It’s fine. I’ve been thinking.....I would like very much if you would take the Kobayashi Maru test before we leave!"

“Do you think I want to be a Captain? I have no intention of becoming that again nor a functioning admiral, sir”

"It’s not because of that...you can call it a test"

Khan looked at him with just a little smile: "Is it an order, sir?"

"I’ve heard about your lecture about orders...so yes it is!"

They smiled at each other.....the sympathy that had grown between them and that Kirk had actually damaged on board the Vengeance as Khan was stunned, was growing again.

Kirk: "I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you...I should have.....when you helped me during the space ride, I should have known better, but the things commander Spock mentioned, I should have known better and trusted my own opinion. And I’m so ashamed that I betrayed you, more than once. If I had known the depth of Admiral Marcus’ evilness.... ....I seldom judge people wrong."

"I’m not people, sir"

"No....and you are not on board...under my command.....so it is “Kirk” or “Jim”

"Is that an order, too, sir?"

Kirk laughed: “Yes”

He looked around. His eyes fell on the table. “May I have a look?”

Khan rose on his feet: “Yes, it is OK...it’s an old book. I’m translating it from French"

“Writing in hand?” Khan was standing very close to him, and Kirk realized that Khan was very attractive......a bit shorter than him. This did surprise him a bit...Khan’s presence was so strong that he always seemed taller – Kirk suddenly realized that he was even more sexually attracted to Khan. He looked down and away...didn’t want Khan to notice. But he gasped slightly as Khan touched his hand by accident, when Khan wanted to show him the illustrations in the book. Khan didn’t seem to notice – but of course he did and Kirk tried to talk about anything else.

Kirk was very impressed at Khans handwriting: “It looks just like printing...must have acquired a lot of practice”

Khan looked at him, people normally didn’t notice what an effort it was. “It does...but being a space-captain in the 20th century gave you a lot of spare time, so you would need a hobby in order not to get totally insane on the long trips. We were supposed to stay awake quite a bit longer than the crew an collecting elephants would require so much more space....A year of practice would improve every skill, I think.”

Khan looked at Kirk and continued: “Maybe it is not such a good idea, that I get on board your ship. Not if I scare you?!”

"Hmmm...", thought Kirk, Khan smelled so nice: “On the contrary! You don’t scare me....Oh what the hell...I like you....a lot!”

Khan looked at him with astonishment but with a smile in the corners of his mouth, that Kirk so much wanted to kiss right there..

Khan said carefully: “I’ve heard rumours about my captain-to-be....that he actually would fuck anything on two legs and sometimes even anything on four, except tables and chairs!”

Kirk laughed: "I’m a farm boy from the country...so it could be the truth..."

Khan: "Have you ever? Oh I’m sorry....it’s not my business...."

Kirk: “There has never been a shortage of willing humanoids in my life, so I have not forced any farm animals on 4 legs”

“But hens? They’ve got two legs!”

Kirk laughed: “Not hens either”

The two men looked at each other and smiled.

“I have something for you.”, Khan continued and opened a drawer: “Here”..... And he handed a book to Kirk:“Oliver Twist”

“For me? Why?”

“A small token of gratitude....I’ve heard about your passion for old books and I found this one...do you already own it?”

“No I don’t...but why gratitude?! I’ve only tried to make right to you what I’ve made wrong before...you don’t owe me anything....on the contrary.”

“I don’t feel it that way...You and Commander Spock...in spite of the fact that I’ve tried to kill you and threatened you, you have helped me in court, helped cancelling my death-sentence and you have saved my crew. How can I not be extremely thankful? I owe you my life! My crew’s life! And you have allowed me on board your ship....how can I not be thankful?"

The two men looked at each other.

Kirk: “I’ll accept this book with gratitude....most of all because it is from you and that it shows that you know about my love for antique books.....but you don’t have to show your thankfulness with such expensive gifts.”

He held his hand up as Khan was about to say something: ”I know how much old books cost, so don’t tell me that it didn’t cost anything.....use your salary on your own needs." He smiled: “It’s an order!”

Khan laughed: "It actually didn’t cost a fortune....I negotiated a good price. The man couldn’t sell the old book in French."

He pointed at the table: "So I only paid for your book. By the way....don’t mention the other book for Commander Spock. It’s a gift for him."

"I won’t" Kirk looked at Khan:"Care for a beer?"

"Yes, thank you, sir"

“It's 'Kirk!'"

"Sorry, sir...but it’s an old habit! And on board it would be the right way to address you!"

They went for a beer outside the Academy. On their way through the building Kirk couldn’t help noticing that both men and women looked at Khan with a certain glimpse of interest in their eyes.....it’s not only me, Kirk thought...and Kahn doesn’t even notice! Or does he?

_________________________

_**(Kobayashi Maru test (remade by Commander Spock))** _

_A no-win situation caused by a set of rules that can only be won by changing the rules, in effect, cheating. This term comes from the name of a small ship in distress in a scenario. The scenario is featured in a training simulator for students attempting to become ship's captains. They receive a distress signal from the Kobayashi Maru and can either attempt to rescue it and be destroyed by enemy forces or leave it and let it be destroyed._

Khan was asked to perform the test the day after

“Do you think I want to be a Captain? I have no intention of becoming that again or a functioning admiral..."

But he was ordered – and the reason? They wanted to see how he reacted.....the test told so much about a person’s character.

Before he entered, he had a lot of questions: "Did the “ship” have “Hunters” on board? Did the simulator have enough computer power to simulate each ship's movements? Would he be able to overrule the automatic settings on the “Ship”-computer? And was he allowed to bring people from his own team into the simulator? Was he allowed some time to get used to the “ship-computer”" and a lot of other questions.

He was given time. He spoke to the 12 young men and women from his team – those who had trained extra with him in the gym – but the others couldn’t hear him.

“We are ready!”

It was like a dance.....his movements – his voice. He did send the 8 “hunters” against the 4 Romulan ships – overruled the pilots computers and steered the 8 hunters simultaneously himself – was at different places at the same time – so it seemed.....moving from computer-console to computer-console - giving orders: "shield at 60" – "now 40" – "now 80" – to the other crew-members.... the “ship” computer was close to its limits (the pictures staggered) (It was only about a 10.000 part of a true ship computer)

The Romulan ships fired at Kobayashi Maru and at the “ship”– but could only hit the machine compartment as their weapons hat been partly destroyed by the “Hunters”.

Finally they blew up – but the pilots of the “hunters” “died” and there were damages on the “ship”...and “dead” people too.

Khan: “Causalities?”

“The pilots and about 15 people on both our ships.....50 wounded.”

Khan: “Orders to sickbay.....the crew on Kobayashi Maru are coming in. We’ll have to squeeze a bit on our way home....good work everybody!”

The test had ended.

All the attendants came in to the room – clapping their hands......even commander Spock.

“This was one chance in a million....to steer those “Hunters”.....Brilliant! No one had ever beaten that simulator – (Kirk cleared his throat).....not without altering the conditions!"

Khan explained: “The “Hunters” ability to fly – that is an alteration compared to the old version.”

"Yes – but closer to reality! The purpose of this test is to experience fear on behalf of your own life and others and accept that fear and yet be able to control yourself and your people.....you have shown that in this test, cadet Khan. Very impressive.."

Khan said: "You’ve forgotten: I used to be an admiral....With ships so slow that it was like looking at snails dancing ballet!"

Everyone laughed..


End file.
